The Concord-Carlisle League of Women Voters is sponsoring a cooperative Forum called "Our Towns, Our Schools, Our Money" featuring speakers from both Concord and Carlisle. The forum will be on Wednesday, November 20, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Carlisle Town Hall at 66 Westford Street. Gene Thayer (Concord and CCHS Superintendent), Davida Fox-Melanson (Carlisle Superintendent), Chris Whelan (Concord Town Manager), Madonna McKenzie (Carlisle Town Administrator), and other key leaders from each town will make presentations and answer questions about issues related to school and town budgets. This is an opportunity, early in the budgetting process, to become better informed about issues facing each town.

Concord-Carlisle Youth Hockey is registering Concord and Carlisle children interested in playing a 12-game schedule of ice hockey in Concord.

The goals of this program are fun, friendly competition, sportsmanship and skill development. There are two age levels: Mites (children born in 1994 and 1995) and Squirts (born in 1992 and 1993). Mites and Squirts will play 12 games including two playoffs. Games will be on Saturday (Squirts) and Sunday (Mites) mornings at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m.

The schedule starts on the weekend of November 16 and 17 and ends before public school February vacation. Newly registered players will be assigned to teams along with players already playing travel hockey. The registration fee is $250, which includes home and away game jerseys.

If you are already playing travel hockey, there is no need to register again and there is no additional charge.

Register by calling the registrar at 1-978-369-6759 or sending an e-mail with the player and parents' names, phone number, player's birthdate, and address to: terri79sim@aol.com.

Carlisle Council on Aging doings

• Ladies tea and card making. Join the COA for tea and treats on November 21 at 1 p.m. Volunteer Peggy Wang will be on hand for those wishing to make holiday cards - no experience is necessary.

• Portland day trip. Join the Carlisle COA on Wednesday, December 4 on a chartered bus day trip to Portland, Maine. The bus will leave Church Street in Carlisle at 8 a.m. and return to Carlisle at about 5:30 p.m. A narrative city tour of Portland will be provided before we leave the bus in Portland to spend time as desired. A list of restaurants and things to do will be provided to participants. The cost for the bus ride and tour is $25 per person. For more information, call Verna Gilbert at 1-978-369-9278. For reservations, call the COA office at 1-978-371-2895. Sign-up deadline is Monday, November 25.

Collecting musical instruments

The Confirmation class of St. Irene's Church is collecting musical instruments for the youth of East Timor, the newest nation in the world. Anyone who wishes to donate a musical instrument in playable condition, please drop it off at the Rectory at St. Irene's by November 21, or call Margie Zuk at 1-978-369-1411 to arrange instrument pick-up, or for more information.

Recreation news

Remember: all field and gym usage must be scheduled through the recreation office.

Adult soccer starts December 4 — sign up now.

Updates

December 11 Professional Day — Create and Play Day, from l0 a.m. to 3 p.m. has space available. Dec 10 Early Release Tuesday's Mad Science program is full. SKI Nashoba (for grades five through eight) is full. SKI Wachusett for grades five through eight has some openings left.

Basketball starts week of December 2. Girls basketball is full. Co-ed team deadline is November 22. Volunteers are needed for both programs.

Sign up for a Feng Shui Fashion Workshop on December 3.

Wednesday evening Iyanger Yoga is extending for four weeks starting November 20. T'ai Chi will hold an extended session for five weeks starting December 4. Sign up now.

Brochures are available at the Gleason Public Library and at the Town Hall Recreation Office. Call 1-978-369-9815 or e-mail at Rec@Carlisle.org or fax at 1-978-371-6686.

Police collecting canned goods

Bring donatations of canned goods to the Carlisle Police Department at 41 Lowell Street on or before November 22. Special needs include cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy. All donations will be brought to the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, 735 Broadway Street in Lowell.

River trail walk on November 29

The public is invited to join the Carlisle Trails Committee for a post-Thanksgiving walk along the Concord River. The walk will follow the River Trail from the Bedford to Billerica end, take a short rest to view Greenough Pond, then return through the large open fields of the former O'Rourke farm. The group will pass through the Foss Farm and Greenough town conservation lands and Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

The walk will cover about four miles, taking approximately two hours. There will also be a one-hour walk at a slower pace. Both walks will depart from the Foss Farm parking lot on Bedford Road at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 29. There will be refreshments at the end. Waterproof boots are recommended. Heavy rain cancels the trip. For more information, call Steve Tobin at 1-978-369-1680.

Savoyards present The Mikado

The Savoyard Light Opera Company is proud to announce its fall production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, to be performed two weekends at the Corey Auditorium in Carlisle, starting November 15.

The Mikado, a light romp including botched romances and mistaken identities, was referred to by Gilbert as a "Japanese opera." The play will be performed by the Savoyard Light Opera Company in traditional Japanese-style Kabuki make-up and with elegant Japanese-style sets and costumes.

The stage director of The Mikado is Margo Law, a well-known performer and director in the western suburbs. This is her first show with SLOC. The music director is Fred Frabotta, who will be rejoining SLOC for his third stint. Frabotta is active as a conductor in the greater Boston area. Carlisle residents performing in the show include Carolyn Armistead and Nikki Armistead in the women's ensemble, and Philip Drew in the men's ensemble.

This is the Savoyard Light Opera Company's 32nd consecutive year of putting on professional quality musicals in the western Boston suburbs, and its 15th year in Carlisle.

The Mikado will be performed in Corey Auditorium on Church Street in Carlisle on November 15, 16, 22 and 23 at 8 p.m., as well as November 17 and 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and $10 for children 12 and under. For ticket information, call 1-978-371-SLOC, or visit the website at www. savoyardlightopera.org.

Girl Scout square dance on November17

All Carlisle Girl Scouts are invited to swing their partners over to the annual square dance on Sunday, November 17 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The event, hosted by the girls in Brownie Troop 2649, will take place at the Scout House, 74 Walden Street in Concord. The cost is $8 per couple and tickets can be purchased at the door. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are encouraged, so call Andi Gettys today at 1-978-369-2392 or send her an email at andig@tiac.net.

CCHS' Thanksgiving dinner for seniors

Senior citizens are invited to come and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal on Saturday, November 23, sponsored by the Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS) students and parents of the class of 2004.

The location of this bountiful meal (which includes roast turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie and all the other delicious "Turkey Day" trimmings) will be at the CCHS cafeteria, 500 Walden Street in Concord. Serving time will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contact the Carlisle Council on Aging at 1-978-371-2895 for reservations.

Local architect will speak on November 20

The Carlisle Business Networking Group's November meeting will take place on Wednesday the 20th from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. at the Gleason Library. Informal networking starts at 6:30 p.m.

The guest speaker, local architect Debbie Bentley, RIBA Associate AIA of Bentley Design Associates, will talk about ways to improve the value of one's home through creative residential design solutions. Her presentation and Q&A session will run from 7 to 8:45 p.m.

Carlisle residents and their friends are welcome, and membership is free. For any questions call John Kaufman on 1-978-369-2330.

U.U.101 at the First Religious Society

The First Religious Society is offering an informal discussion of Unitarian Universalism and the FRS.This program will be held after the Sunday service on November 17, in the conference room at the church. Anyone interested in attending this introduction is invited. Diane Miller, the interim minister, will lead the group in the one hour session. All are welcome, and child care will be provided.